English Synonyms and Antonyms

negligence is intransitive; we speak of neglect of his books, friends, or duties, in which cases we could not use
negligence; negligence in dress implies want of care as to its arrangement, tidiness, etc.; neglect of one's
garments would imply leaving them exposed to defacement or injury, as by dust, moths, etc. Neglect has a
passive sense which negligence has not; the child was suffering from neglect, i. e., from being neglected by
others; the child was suffering from negligence would imply that he himself was neglectful. The distinction
sometimes made that neglect denotes the act, and negligence the habit, is but partially true; one may be guilty
of habitual neglect of duty; the wife may suffer from her husband's constant neglect, while the negligence
which causes a railroad accident may be that of a moment, and on the part of one ordinarily careful and
attentive; in such cases the law provides punishment for criminal negligence.
Antonyms:
See synonyms for CARE.
Synonyms and Antonyms, by James Champlin Fernald
204

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Prepositions:
Neglect of duty, of the child by the parent; there was neglect on the part of the teacher.
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NEW.
Synonyms:
fresh, modern, new-made, upstart, juvenile, new-fangled, novel, young, late, new-fashioned, recent, youthful.
That which is new has lately come into existence, possession, or use; a new house is just built, or in a more
general sense is one that has just come into the possession of the present owner or occupant. Modern denotes
that which has begun to exist in the present age, and is still existing; recent denotes that which has come into
existence within a comparatively brief period, and may or may not be existing still. Modern history pertains to
any period since the middle ages; modern literature, modern architecture, etc., are not strikingly remote from
the styles and types prevalent to-day. That which is late is somewhat removed from the present, but not far
enough to be called old. That which is recent is not quite so sharply distinguished from the past as that which
is new; recent publications range over a longer time than new books. That which is novel is either absolutely
or relatively unprecedented in kind; a novel contrivance is one that has never before been known; a novel
experience is one that has never before occurred to the same person; that which is new may be of a familiar or
even of an ancient sort, as a new copy of an old book. Young and youthful are applied to that which has life;
that which is young is possessed of a comparatively new existence as a living thing, possessing actual youth;
that which is youthful manifests the attributes of youth. (Compare YOUTHFUL.) Fresh applies to that which
has the characteristics of newness or youth, while capable of deterioration by lapse of time; that which is
unworn, unspoiled, or unfaded; as, a fresh countenance, fresh eggs, fresh flowers. New is opposed to old,
modern to ancient, recent to remote, young to old, aged, etc.
Antonyms:
See synonyms for OLD.
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NIMBLE.
Synonyms:
active, alert, bustling, prompt, speedy, spry, agile, brisk, lively, quick, sprightly, swift.
Nimble refers to lightness, freedom, and quickness of motion within a somewhat narrow range, with readiness
to turn suddenly to any point; swift applies commonly to more sustained motion over greater distances; a
pickpocket is nimble-fingered, a dancer nimble-footed; an arrow, a race-horse, or an ocean steamer is swift;
Shakespeare's "nimble lightnings" is said of the visual appearance in sudden zigzag flash across the sky.
Figuratively, we speak of nimble wit, swift intelligence, swift destruction. Alert, which is strictly a synonym
for ready, comes sometimes near the meaning of nimble or quick, from the fact that the ready, wide-awake
person is likely to be lively, quick, speedy. Compare ACTIVE; ALERT.
Antonyms:
clumsy, dull, heavy, inactive, inert, slow, sluggish, unready. dilatory,
Synonyms and Antonyms, by James Champlin Fernald
205

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NORMAL.
Synonyms:
common, natural, ordinary, regular, typical, usual.
That which is natural is according to nature; that which is normal is according to the standard or rule which is
observed or claimed to prevail in nature; a deformity may be natural, symmetry is normal; the normal color
of the crow is black, while the normal color of the sparrow is gray, but one is as natural as the other. Typical
refers to such an assemblage of qualities as makes the specimen, genus, etc., a type of some more
comprehensive group, while normal is more commonly applied to the parts of a single object; the specimen
was typical; color, size, and other characteristics, normal. The regular is etymologically that which is
according to rule, hence that which is steady and constant, as opposed to that which is fitful and changeable;
the normal action of the heart is regular. That which is common is shared by a great number of persons or
things; disease is common, a normal state of health is rare. Compare GENERAL; USUAL.
Antonyms:
abnormal, irregular, peculiar, singular, unprecedented, exceptional, monstrous, rare, uncommon, unusual.
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NOTWITHSTANDING, conj.
Synonyms:
altho(ugh), howbeit, nevertheless, tho(ugh), but, however, still, yet.